For Psychologists new to the Field of Clinical Geropsychology
The Council of Professional Geropsychology Training Programs (CoPGTP) is dedicated to promoting training in geropsychology on four broad levels: academic, pre- and post-doctoral programs, and post-licensure.
We have known for some time that psychologists are not being trained in adequate numbers to meet the mental health needs of the aging population. Fortunately, there is an ever-increasing number of graduate programs and pre-licensure training opportunities available throughout the U.S. for those entering the field of geropsychology. And, for licensed psychologists without formal training in this area, there are now many resources to help develop basic competencies to work effectively with this age group. This website provides an overview of geropsychology training for psychologists who are interested in expanding their professional activities with older adults.
Incentives for Post-licensure Training
There are many benefits to specialized training in geropsychology, including:
- Improved care to population – older adults welcome mental health services, and greatly benefit from our professional interventions;
- Better collaboration and interaction with other disciplines – older adults are frequently at the nexus of many systems, including medical, psychosocial, legal, and financial, and our ability to integrate our unique perspectives with those of others ultimately benefits the older population;
- Leadership opportunities – regardless of the health care environment we are involved in, an increased proficiency in geropsychology will always be in demand;
- Improved job satisfaction – improvements in our knowledge base and skills about mental health services with older adults fosters a greater sense of professional reward and satisfaction;
- Financial incentives – demographics favor the development of at least a sub-specialty in this area, given the favorable trends of Medicare and other private payers for mental health services;
- Improved training of other caregivers – whether working with other professionals, paraprofessionals, or family caregivers, geropsychologists can offer both formal and informal training on essential aging and mental health topics.